Tobacco feeder for cigarette machines



Jan. 5, 1937. J. T. DALTON TOBACCO FEEDER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed June 24, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet l amen vim; Jafy TDa/lw;

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Gamma/14 1937. .1. T. DALTON TOBACCO FEEDER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 24, 1935 Jan. 5, 1937. J A T N 2,066,338

TOBACCO FEEDER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed June 24, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet s folfl7 710 [80/7 Jan. 5, 1937. J. T. DALTON TOBACCO FEEDER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Filed June 24, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES PAT - OFFICE TOBACCO FEEDER FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES Carolina Application June 24, 1935, Serial No. 28,183

15 Claims.

The present invention relates to improvements in tobacco feeders, and more particularly to tobacco feeders for cigarette machines and the like where the tobacco to be fed is cut in long lengths.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to provide a novel and improved tobacco feeder of this class which is capable of withdrawing tobacco from a mass in bulk, as in a hopper, and forming it into a relatively thick blanket, and then progressively drawing out and thereby re-= ducing the thickness of the blanket as the latter advances toward the point where it is to be spread or distributed whereby breakage of the tobacco into short lengths is reduced to a minimum and the maximum amount of long length tobacco is obtained for the making of cigarettes or for similar purposes.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved tobacco feeder for cigarette machines which is capable of spreading or distributing the tobacco at a uniform rate and in properly prepared condition onto the traveling belt or other means which forwards the tobacco into the cigarette machine to be inclosed as a filler in the usual way in the cigarette paper.

Another object is to provide novel and improved means for effectively withdrawing a supply of long cut tobacco from a bulk thereof in a hopper or the like onto a drum and of discharging the tobacco from the drum to a series of drawing rollers or the like which prepare the tobacco for proper spreading or distribution, while substantially avoiding breaking of the tobacco into short lengths, either when the tobacco is received by the drum and thereby removed from the hopper or when removed from the drum.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved means for agitating or distributing the tobacco in the hopper while the tobacco is being withdrawn therefrom, thereby insuring withdrawal of the tobacco in the form of a blanket of substantially uniform thickness.

To these and other ends the invention consists in certain improvements and combinations and arrangements of parts all as will be hereinafter more fully described, the features of novelty being pointed out particularly in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings:--

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tobacco feeder constructed in accordance with the present invention, the same being connected to a cigarette machine;

Figure 2 is an end elevation of the improved tobacco feeder, showing a portion of the cigarette machine in side elevation;

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of the rollers for feeding the tobacco into the cigarette machine;

Figure 4 is a vertical section through the tobacco feeding drum and drawing rollers on an enlarged scale taken on the line 44 in Fig. 2;

Figure 5 is a detail vertical section through the series of drawing rollers shown in Fig. 4 but on an enlarged scale, showing the driving means for such rollers;

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of the series of drawing rollers showing the relative arrangement thereof and the driving means therefor;

Figure '7' is a section taken diametrically through one end of the tobacco feeding drum;

Figure 8 is a vertical section taken on the line 8-8 in Fig. 7;

Figure 9 is a detail perspective View of one end of one of the rotatable shafts carried by the tobacco feeding drum and provided with the tobacco feeding pins;

Figure 10 is a side elevation of another embodiment of the tobacco feeder constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 11 is an elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 10 as viewed from the left hand side thereof; and

Figure 12 is a detail view of the tobacco agitating and distributing members.

Similar parts are designated by the same reference characters in the different figures.

Tobacco feeders according to the present invention are adapted for use generally in all instances where the feeding of long cut tobacco, such as that used as the filler of cigarettes, is to be fed from a mass in bulk and drawn out into a thin sheet of uniform thickness, the invention being however more particularly adapted for feeding long cut tobacco to cigarette machines whereby the tobacco is fed to such machines in a condition which enables it to form cigarette fillers of substantially uniform volume and density, the tobacco being fed and prepared according to the present invention with less breakage of the tobacco into short lengths than heretofore in cig arette feeders of the kinds previously used.

The preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the accompanying drawings and will be hereinafter described in detail, but it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted to the precise structures shown since equivalent constructions are contemplated and such will be included within the scope. of the claims.

In the present instance, the improved tobacco feeder is shown applied to a cigarette machine of well-known construction, for feeding the. tobacco thereto to form the fillers for the cigarettes, the cigarette machine, a portionof which is shown, comprising a table lover which a stripof paper 2 to form the cigarette wrappers is fed, in the form of a. continuous sheet, from a roll 3, 4 being r this' .shaftrbeing suitably journalled in the frame the stamping or printing device usuallyemployed for stamping or printing the name or the like on the cigarette wrappers.

A guide 5, having downwardly convergent walls, is mounted in the'feed er machine above the path of the paper strip 2, for feeding tobacco onto the paper strip preparatory to the formation thereof into a rod from which the cigarette filler is to be formed.= Beyond the tobacco guide are located the sealing and inclosing mechanisms 1 and 8 which may be of the usual construction commonly usedin'cigarette machines, and since these mechansms and also the cutter mechanism beyond them which cuts the cigarettes into proper lengths are of the usualand well known construction and they form no part of the present invention detailed description thereof is deemed unnecessary. The tobacco is introduced continuously into the top of the guide 5 by a roller mounted above it'and having pins projecting from its-periphery, and by a smooth facedroller H which is mounted above the roller [0, the latter roller'being mounted on a shaft l2 having a sprocket wheel l3 fixed thereon over which passes a chain 14 which is driven continuously in amann'er which will be hereinafter described. The tobacco is fed between the rollers l0 and I ljby-an endless traveling belt I5 the upper end of which passes around an idler roller l6 adjacent to the rollers I6 and H so that the tobacco advanced on the upper side of this belt will'be introduced between the rollers I 0 and II. The roller ll presses-the tobacco so introduced ontothe pinnedsurfaceof the roller l0, and the rotation of the latterroller carries the tobacco into :a position above the guide 5. A winnower roller I1 is mounted above the guidei5 at one side of-the roller ID, the roller I! having pins proj ecting fromi its periphery and arranged to operate. in the spaces between the pinson the roller ID, the rollers Ill and I1. rotating in the same direction; as indicatedby the arrows. in Figure 3 whereby the tobacco pressed on the pinned'surface: of the roller In by the roller II will be removed therefrom by the winnower roller I! which revolves at relatively high speed and the tobacco willbethereby thrown downwardly intothe guide 5. The. winnowerroller'is mounted on a'shaft I8 to which is fixed a pulley l9 and thispulley is driven bya beltthis belt being driven by a pulley--2fl fixed on a shaft 33 here- .inafter described. The pressing roller I l is driven ,at equalspeedbutinthe opposite directionto that of the roller I'O- by. a ;gear 2l--fixed on the shaft l2 of the roller l0 and meshing with a gear 22 fixedon the shaft 23 of the roller H.

The. endless continuously traveling feed belt I 5 ,isdriven from a. roller 25 around which it passes,

.. this roller being fixed on a shaft 26 journalled in suitableebearings-in the frame ofthe cigarette feeder machine, the shaft26 being driven by a sprocket wheel 21 fixedthereon and cooperating .with the chain Lathe latter passingaround the sprocket wheel 13 which drives the roller l0 and around a sprocket wheel 96 on a shaft 95, hereinafter described. A shaft 30 is connected by gears thereon and a cooperating sprocket chain 38 from a sprocket wheel 39 mounted on a shaft 40.

of the cigarette machine and being driven by a sprocket wheel 4| fixed thereon, a cooperating sprocketi'chain 42 and a sprocket wheel 43', the latter being fixed on or connected to the shaft of an electric motor 44 which serves to drive the cigarette machine and feeder. The cigarette machineis driven from a shaft 45 having a sprocket wheel 46 fixed-thereon and cooperating with a chain 41, the latter cooperating with a sprocket wheel .48 on. the shaft 40. Clutches"c an d fl are mounted onxthe shaft 40 andare' operable to connect-the sprocket wheels 39 and 48itothe shaft 40 to be driven thereby scthat theifcigare'ttemachine and the feeder may'bedrivemsimwltaneously in" proper timed relation or' one independently of theother. j

The tobacco feeder as shown-in tl'iepresent instance is adapted to be 'mountedaon the; frame of the feeder machine in exposition toxspread or distribute the tobacco ontothe feed belt 15 so that the latter-will carry thelttobacco into'rthe cigarette machine in the marmerhereinb'efore described. Preferably and as shown-,athe improved feeder comprises a. frame 56 "whichzis'adapted to fit against and to be. bolted 'o'r otherwise socured to standards 51 which projectwupwa'rdly from and formepartsrof the main frameofa; well knowntype of cigarette feeder: machine; the frame 56: embodying side'imembersras shown in Figure 2, and said frame supporting-a suitable tobacco receiving hopper 58 at the top thereof. Between the side members ofthe frame 56 and below thev hopper is mounted arotatable tobacco feeding drum or cylinder :66. As shown, this drum comprises a cylinder having a series of shafts 6 l extending longitudinally thereof and" suitably spaced around its circumference.- Acircular'end plate 62 is'fixed to each end of the cylindrical drum and providesbearingsin which the respective ends of theshafts 6| are-.mounted rotatably. Each of the shafts 6| carries aseriesoflongitudinally spaced pins 63 which project therefrom in the-same radial plane: of ,each shaft and are equidistantly spaced longitudinally thereof, .the pins of all of theshaftsibeing alined circumferentially around the periphery of the drum.- The drum is rotatably mounted in the frameby ashaft 64 which extends axially through the drum and the end members 62-and is keyed-or otherwise fixed-thereto, this shaft being journalled in one side of the frame 56 and in a plate 65.which is bolted or otherwise removably-fitted into-the other side of said frame and has a sprocket wheel 66 keyed or otherwise fixed thereon forro-tating it in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4. h I

The tobacco feeding drum as shown in Figure 4 is located directly beneath the open bottom of the hopper 58 so that it will receive tobacco-therefrom, and means is provided for swinging the pins 63 so that they slant or incline toward the direction in which the drum rotates while these pins are passing across the bottom of the hopper and r for reversing the slant or inclination of these pins so that they incline away from the direction of rotation of the drum before they reach the point where the tobacco is discharged from the drum. The means shown in the present instance for so swinging thepins comprises cranks 67 which are fixed on the ends of the pin carrying shafts GI and have rollers 68 on their free ends which travel in a cam groove 69 of appropriate shape and which may be formed in'the plate 55, as shown. As will appear from Figure 4, the cam groove 69 has an outer or high-throw portion I59 in which the rollers 68 on the pin carrying shafts travel while they pass beneath the hopper and an inner or low-throw portion 69 in which the rollers on the pin carrying shafts travel while such shafts are passing the point of discharge of the tobacco from the feeding drum, so that the pins 63 will slant or incline forwardly and thus engage and eifectivelywith'draw the tobacco from the hopper, and before reaching the discharge point, the inclination of the pins will be reversed, thus facilitating the removal of the tobacco from the periphery of the drum.

In order to agitate the tobacco contained in the hopper to prevent clogging thereof, an agitator III is provided as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, this agitator comprising a pair of chains TI arranged in parallelism and passing over sprocket Wheels I2 and I3 fixed on a pair of upper and lower shafts I4 and I5 mounted in suitable bearings at the side of the hopper toward which the pins 63 move. A series of bars I6, preferably of stainless steel, extend transversely between the chains II and are secured to the successive corresponding links thereof, these bars traveling upwardly along the inner side of the wall 58 of the hopper as the sprocket wheels I3 are rotated in the direction of the arrow in Figure 4, thereby exerting a lifting action upon the tobacco contained in the hopper and thereby preventing 'packing or bridging of the tobacco therein. A

series of agitating and distributing arms 80 are also preferably provided to operate in the bottom of the hopper above the tobacco feeding drum to insure the proper flow of tobacco to the drum and insure the formation of a blanket of tobacco of uniform depth or thickness on the circumference of the drum. These arms 80 are pivoted at the points 8! (Fig. 12) on a bracket 82 which may be secured to the hopper at its outer side,

these arms being connected by a link 83 which in- I sures swinging movements thereof in unison, and one of the arms is provided with a crank arm 84 which is pivotally connected by a link 85 to a crank 86, the latter being fixed to the upper end of a shaft 81 which is journalled in suitable bearings 88 and is connected by bevel gears 89 to a shaft 90, the latter having a sprocket wheel SI fixed thereon. During the operation of the feeder the agitating bars I6 rise continuously along the inner side of the hopper wall 58 and the arms 8!? swing to and fro across the bottom of the hopper above the feeding drum, the chains II of the agitator being driven continuously by a sprocket wheel 92 which is fixed on the shaft I5 and this sprocket wheel and the sprocket wheel 9I which drives the arms 89 being driven continuously at appropriate relatively low speed by a chain 93 which passes over a sprocket wheel 94 fixed on a shaft 95, this shaft being driven in a manner which will be hereinafter described, and having a sprocket wheel 96 fixed thereon and over which passes the chain M which drives the roller I0, and sprocket wheel 21 which drives the shaft 26, as hereinbefore described.

The tobacco, removed from the hopper, and forming a blanket of the depth of the pins 63 on the periphery of the feeding drum, is removed from the drum by a roller I00 fixed on a shaft this construction and arrangement, when the blanket of tobacco on the periphery of the feeding drum reaches the discharge point adjacent to the roller IBQ, at which time the pins 63 will have reversed their directions of inclination, the tobacco will be acted upon by the corrugated periphery of the roller I80 in a manner which will readily strip it from the drum, the roller Ifll) rotating continuously in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4. In order to facilitate the removal of the blanket of tobacco from the feeding drum, a cooperating roller I03 is mounted at the discharge point opposite to the roller um and is driven continuously in opposite direction to the direction of rotation of the roller I60. In order to retain the blanket of tobacco on the feeding drum until it reaches the discharge point, a guard I96 may be placed between the side members of the frame 56 concentrically of the drum shaft 64, as shown in Figure 4. The shaft I04 for the roller I03 is driven in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4 by a pair of gears IUI from a shaft I08, this shaft having a sprocket wheel I09 fixed thereon with which a chain IIB cooperates, this chain also cooperating with a sprocket wheel III fixed on the shaft Hill, and this chain in the present instance passes around the sprocket wheel 66 on the drum shaft 64 and thus serves to rotate the drum. The shaft I0! is driven by a sprocket wheel I 52 which is fixed thereon and cooperates with a chain II3, this chain passing around a sprocket wheel IM fixed on a shaft M5, the latter having a relatively large gear H6 fixed thereon which meshes with a relatively small gear or pinion II! fixed.

wheel I22 fixed thereon with which a chain I23 cooperates, this chain passing around a sprocket wheel I24 fixed on the shaft 38. By the gearing just described, the rollers I 00 and IE3 will be driven in the relatively opposite directions indicated by the arrows in Figure 4 and at appropriate relatively low speed, and the feeding drum will be rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4 at relatively low speed.

The present invention provides means for receiving the relatively thick blanket of tobacco, removed from the drum 5!] by the roller I80, and for drawing this blanket into a relatively thin strip in condition for spreading or distributing it on the feed belt I5. Such means comprises pairs of rollers I30, I38 I3I, I3I I32, I32 and I33, I33 these pairs of rollers being arranged in series in rows which converge in a direction from the point of discharge of tobacco from the feed-- ing drum 60 so as to reduce the passageway between them as the tobacco advances therethrough, and the pairs of rollers are driven at progressively increasing speeds toward the narthe tobacco is advanced between these series of The rollers I30, I3I, I32 and I33 are all rollers; driven in the same direction and in a direction to draw the tobacco between them and the cooperating rollers I30, I3I,.I32 and I33, the

latter rollers being driven in the opposite direc- I :tionto that in which the first series of rollers of rollers.

meshing with the gear are driven and in a direction to draw the tobacco through the passageway between the two series The means for so driving these series of drawing rollers comprises sprocket wheels I34,

"I35,'-I36 and I31'which are fixed on the shafts of the rollers I30, I3I, I32 and I33 and relatively larger gears I38 and I39 fixed on the shafts of the rollers I3I and. I32 respectively, and a series of idler gears'I40, MI and I42, the idler gear I40 I34 connected .to the roller I and with the relatively-smaller gear I connected to the roller I3I, the larger gear I38 connected to the roller I3I meshing with the idler gear MI and the latter meshing with the relatively small gear I36 connected to the roller 'I32, and the relatively large gear I39 connected to the roller I32"meshing with the idler gear I42,

the latter meshing with the gear I31 connected to the roller I33, thus providing a drive of acceleratingspeed for the rollers I30, I3I, I32 and I33'and' causing all of the rollers of this series to revolve in the same direction and in the direction in which the tobacco advances. Similarly, therollers I30, I3I, I32 and I33 have gears I34, I35, I36 and I31 fixed to their shafts, the gear I34 being larger than the gear I35, and relatively large gears I36 and I39, are connected to the rollers I3I and I32 respectively, and a series of idler gears I40, HI and I42 are provided, the idler gear I40 meshing With'the gear I34connected to the roller I30 and with the gear I35 connected to the roller I3I, the large gear I38 connected to the roller I3I meshing with the idler gear HI and the latter meshing with the small gear I36 connected to the roller I32, and the large gear I39 connected to the roller I32 meshing with the idler gear I42 and the latter meshing with the gear I31 connected to the roller I33. The rollers I30 and I30 are connected to rotate preferably at equal speed and in opposite directions so that they will advance the tobacco between them, by a pair of gears I43. The gearings thus' provided between the series of pairs of rollers will drive the pairs of rollers successively at increasing speeds in a direction from the tobacco receiving toward the tobacco discharging end of the passageway between them, and all of the roliers will'be rotated in directions'to advance the tobacco between the pairs of rollers and, due to the progressively increasing speeds at which the successive pairs of rollers revolve, these pairs of rollers will produce a drawing action upon-the tobacco which will attenuate the blanket of tobacco longitudinally into a stream of diminishingthickness, preparatory to the spreading or distribution of the tobacco upon the feed belt I5. The series of pairs of rollers may be driven from the shaft IOI by a gear I45 fixed on the shaft IOI and meshing with an idler gear I46, the latter meshing with a gear I46 fixed on the same shaft with the'roller I36; A I 41 is preferably; provided.ibetween 'the roller: I03 and the roller I30' toproper1y-direct. the blanket of tobacco removed from thedrum 60 into-the entranceto the passageway between the series of pairs of drawing rollers.

By arrangingthepins on the series of "pairs of rollers so that they incline or slant backwardly from theindirectionso'f rotation," as shown, these rollers will effectively; draw out and advance the tobacco while reducing breakage of the tobacco to .a minimum.

The strip of tobacco ofreduced thickness, after passing through the convergingzpassageway; between the pairs of drawing rollers; is spread or distributed onto the feed belt I5 of'the cigarette machine by a spreading or distributing roller -I50 which is located at the lower end: of the passageway between the pairs of: drawing, rollers, the

spreading. or distributing roller I50v having pins tion of thearrow in Figures 4 and 5 andata sufficient speed to throw the tobacco-fromthe guard I5I and distribute it evenly'upon the feed belt I5.. In orderto insure the entrance of the tobacco between the distributing roller I50 and vided adjacent to the periphery of the roller I50 and at the entrance to the guard I5I. this-pin roller being driven in the'direction indicatedby the arrow in'Figure 4 by a-gear I56 connected to this roller and an idler gear I50 which meshes therewith and with the gear I51 connected-to the roller I33.

. In the embodiment of'the invention shownin Figures 1 to 9 inclusive, theseries of pairs of tobacco drawing rollers are arrangedvertically and substantially directly beneath the tobacco feeding drum 60 but these series of pairs of drawing rollers may be inclined from a side of the tobacco feeding drum, as shown for example in Figure 10, the construction and mode of operation being thesame as that already hereinbefore described. In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figures 10 and 11 the swinging agitating and distributing arms 60are constructed and arranged as hereinbefore described .with reference to the preceding figures, the shaft 61 however for driving these arms being shown in this instance as drivenfrom the shaft 64 of the feeding drum by bevel gears I60, and the feeding drum 60 and. the roller I03 in this instance being driven from the. shaft IOI of the roller I00 by a chain I6I whichpasses aroundsprockets I62, I63 and I64flxed on the shafts 'IOI, .I04.and .64 respectively. In thisinstance asprocket .wheel I65 is fixed on. the shaft of the roller I and the guard I5I, a pin roller I56 is preferabiy-proinvention shown in Figures 10 and 11, is provided with a suitable number of swinging agitating arms I10 fixed on ashaft. I1I suitably journalled in the walls of the hopper and having a crank arm I12 fixed thereon and operativelyiconnected by a link [13 to a crank [14 fixed on the shaft 64 of the feeding drum, so that as the feeding drum rotates the. arms I10 will sweep back and forth above the feeding drum and thereby prevent bridging or clogging of the tobacco and insuring the formation of a blanket of tobacco of uniform thickness on the periphery of the drum.

The operation of a tobacco feeder constructed in accordance with the present invention is as followsz-Assuming that the hopper is supplied with tobaccoand that the various elements of the machine hereinbefore described are set into operation, the rotation of the tobacco feeding drum 6!] in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4 causes a relatively thick blanket of tobacco to be deposited on the periphery of this drum, and to cause such tobacco in blanket form to be withdrawn from the hopper under the action of the pins 63 which at this time are inclined forwardly or in the direction in which the drum rotates. I As the rotation of the drum continues, advancing the blanket of tobacco with it, the inclination of the fingers 63 is reversed so that they slant away from the direction in which the drum is rotated, as shown at the lower side of the drum in Figure 4. As the blanket of tobacco reaches the roller I00, the latter rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 4, strips the blanket of tobacco from the drum, assisted more or less by gravity, and the blanket of tobacco in relatively thick form then passes between the roller I90 and the cooperating oppositely positioned roller H33, and the blanket of tobacco then enters the converging passageway formed between the series of pairs of drawing rollers.

' The series of convergently arranged pairs of drawing rollers, driven at successively increasing speeds, act on the blanket of tobacco to draw it out into a thinner strip, and when the tobacco reaches the lower or discharge end of the passageway between the drawing rollers, and has been drawn into a relatively thin strip. The spreading or distributing roller I50, which is driven at relatively high speed, then acts on the relatively thin strip of tobacco thus produced, throwing the tobacco in an evenly distributed manner onto the traveling feed belt [5. This feed belt advances the tobacco to the rollers l0 and II, the tobacco passing between these rollers and being thrown from the roller ID by the rapidly revolving roller l1, into the guide 5 of the cigarette machine, the tobacco thus introduced into the cigarette machine being deposited on the paper strip 2 and as the latter and the tobacco thereon advance, the usual mechanisms commonly used in cigarette machines may operate to form the cigarettes.

By forming a relatively thick blanket of tobacco on the feeding drum and providing the latter with pins which are spaced at substantial distances around its circumference, a large amount of tobacco is withdrawn from the hopper with minimum engagement of the drum teeth therewith, so that breaking of the long cut tobacco into shorter lengths, as takes place in tobacco feeders as heretofore constructed embodying rollers with more numerous teeth and in which the tobacco was deposited to a less depth thereon, is avoided or reduced to a minimum, and by providing the pairs of drawing rollers driven at successively increasing speeds, the relatively thick blanket of tobacco is drawn out into a sufficiently thin strip to enable it to be uniformly spread or distributed onto the feed belt which carries the tobacco into the cigarette machine. For example, in tobacco feeders of this general class as heretofore used, much waste tobacco has resulted from the use of relatively sharp closely-spaced teeth or pins on the drum, the teeth having a tendency to clip the tobacco into short lengths as they pass through the mass of tobacco in the hopper after the drum has become loaded, which is objectionable to the manufactures of cigarettes. Such objections are overcome by the present invention. By providing on the drum pins of, for example, two inches in length and spaced apart axially one and one-half inches and spacing the rows of pins two inches apart around the circumference of the drum, and providing a relatively light flow of tobacco to the drum, a saving of long tobacco many times greater than that possible with feed drums such as those heretofore used, employing pins or teeth.

one-quarter of an inch in length and spaced onequarter of an inch apart axially and circumferentially of the drum, is accomplished. Although the tobacco is withdrawn from the hopper in the form of a thick blanket, of a thickness of for example two inches, this blanket is reduced to a thickness of for example one-half inch by the drawing action of the series of pairs of rollers of successively increasing speed, thus preparing the tobacco for spreading or distribution on the feed belt which conducts the tobacco into the cigarette machine. By pivoting the pins on the feed drum so that they are inclined forwardly or toward the direction of rotation of the drum while passing across the bottom of the hopper, the removal of a blanket of tobacco of full thickness from the hopper is insured, and by reversing the inclination of these pins before they reach the point where the tobacco is discharged from the drum, the tobacco can be removed effectively from the drum without obstruction by the pins.

I claim as my invention:-

1. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, a feeding drum rotatably mounted adjacent to the hopper and having pins on its periphery to remove tobacco from the hopper and form it in a relatively thick blanket on the drum, a rotatable roller having a circumferentially grooved axially corrugated periphery located in close proximity to the periphery of the drum and operative to remove the blanket of tobacco therefrom, and means arranged to receive the blanket of tobacco from said roller and operative to draw the tobacco into a sheet of relatively reduced thickness.

2. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, a feeding drum rotatably mounted adjacent to the hopper and having pins on its periphery to remove tobacco from the hopper and form it in a relatively thick blanket on the drum, means arranged to receive the blanket of tobacco from the drum and operative to draw the tobacco into a sheet of relatively'reduced thickness, a distributing roller, a guard 00- operative with the underside of the periphery of said roller and arranged to receive the sheet of tobacco of reduced thickness, and means for revolving said roller at a speed to throw the tobacco from the guard and distribute it evenly.

3. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, a feeding drum rotatably mounted adjacent to the hopper and having pins on its periphery to remove tobacco from the l hopper and form it in a relatively thick blanket on the drum, a rotatable roller grooved circumferentially to receive the pins on the drum and mounted with its periphery in close proximity to tudinally and form it into a sheet of reduced thickness.

4. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, means for withdrawing the tobacco therefrom in the form of a relatively thick blanket, and series of pairs'of rollers having alined passageways between them, said series of rollers having means for driving them at successively higher speed and operative to draw the blanket of tobacco through said passageways and form it into a relatively thinner strip.

5. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, means for withdrawing the tobacco therefrom in the form of a rela-' tively thick blanket, and pairs of rollers providing aconvergent passageway between them to receive the blanket of tobacco and having means for driving the successive pairs of rollers at progressively increasing speed.

6. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, means for withdrawing the tobacco therefrom in the form of a relatively thick blanket, series of pairs of rollers having means for driving them at successively higher speed and operative to draw the blanket of tobacco into a relatively thin'ner strip, and a spreading roll located at the tobacco discharge end of the passageway between said pairs of rollers.

7. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, a drum rotatably mounted with its periphery in communication with the hopper, series of pins rotatably mounted on the drum to project at different angles from the periphery thereof, and means for changing the angles of said pins during rotation of the drum.

8. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, a drum rotatably mounted with its periphery in communication with the hopper, series of pins rotatably mounted on the drum to project at different angles from the periphery thereof, and means for setting said pins at a forward inclination to remove tobacco from the hopper and at a rearward inclination subsequently thereto.

9. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco, a drum rotatably mounted with its periphery in communication with the hopper, series of pins rotatably mounted on the drum to project at different angles from the periphery thereof, means for removing tobacco from the drum, and means for inclining said pins forwardly while passing the hopper and for incliningsaid, pins rearwardly prior to reaching said tobacco removing means.

10. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco in bulk and having a discharge opening in its lower portion, 'and- I;

drum rotatably mounted'with its periphery 'jacent to said discharge opening and having rows of pins rotatably mounted on its periphery toproject forwardly and rearwardly of the direction of rotation of the drum. 11. A tobacco feeder comprising a hoppercontain a supply of tobacco in bulk and having a discharge opening in its lower portion, a-drurn rotatably mounted with its periphery adjacent to said discharge opening and having rows of pins rotatably mounted on its periphery to project,

forwardly and rearwardly of the direction of rotation of the drum, andmeans'for'settingsaid pins in forwardly inclined position while passing said discharge opening and in rearwardly inclined position after passing said opening.

12. A tobacco feeder comprising a hopper to contain asupply of tobacco in bulk andhaving a discharge opening in its lower portion, a drum rotatably mounted with its periphery adjacent to said discharge opening and having rows of pins. rotatably mounted on its periphery to project;

forwardly and rearwardly of the directionof rotation of the drum, a cam, and cranks connected:- to the respective rows of pins and cooperative with said cam during rotation of the drum for setting said rows of pins in the different inclined positions.

13. A tobacco feeder comprising ahopper to contain a supply of tobacco in bulk and having a discharge opening in its lower portion, a drum rotatably mounted with its periphery adjacent to said discharge opening and having rows of pins rotatably mounted on its periphery topro rotatably mounted with its periphery adjacent to said discharge opening and having rowsoi' pinsrotatably mounted on its periphery to'project forwardly and rearwardly'of the direction -oi rotation of the drum, and means mounted in the hopper and operative to lift the tobacco therein above the drum.

15. A tobacco feeder comprising'a hopper to contain a supply of tobacco in bulkand having a discharge opening in its lower portion, a rotatably mounted withits periphery adjacent to said discharge opening and having rowsof pins rotatably mounted on: its peripheryio project forwardly and rearwardly of the directionof rotation of the drum, and agitating annsm'ounted' in the hopper and operative to-and-fro in a plane above the drum to distribute the tobacco uniformly thereto.

JOHN T. DALTON. 

